Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 599: Low Self-Esteem

Sein was not lying; his quarters were indeed cluttered, filled with experimental equipment and piles of magic ingredients in every corner.

Aside from the spacious bed for resting and the meditation room, the rest of the space was barely navigable.

Azelia was a qualified maid who could tidy Sein’s room until it was speckless and organize all items.

However, she could not magically expand Sein’s space.

CRACK!

This was the fourth beaker Reina had accidentally stepped on since she entered the quarters.

In addition, she had broken two of Sein’s test tubes and destroyed a section of the elemental energy conduit in the laboratory’s entrance.

“I’m sorry...” Reina said, her eyes meeting Sein’s with a hint of embarrassment.

Sein was the only person in the Order of the Steel Fist to whom the “Female T-Rex” had ever apologized.

It was not Sein’s physical strength that commanded respect—there were many stronger than him, and he could not take down a Rank Three Sky Knight either.

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Instead, he had earned Reina’s deference through the respect he had shown her—a simple yet profound gesture.

Despite her short temper and immense size, which undoubtedly showcased her formidable strength, Reina rarely received the respect or goodwill she deserved within the order.

Most knights, particularly those weaker than her, simply feared her; their fear was not rooted in respect.

The well-established and strict rules of the Magus World’s divine towers and knightly orders protected the rights of every ranked knight and full-fledged mage.

Consequently, Reina could not act on impulse despite her immense power.

Even if she could retaliate against knights who had offended her, killing them was not an option.

After all, the Magus Continent was not a lawless realm like Blackhaven.

Reina was ostracized by the other knights and became a loner, with Natalya as her only friend.

Apart from her parents, she often found more companionship in food than in people.

Sein was not put off by Reina’s appearance when they first met.

It was not merely her imposing physique, which hinted at profound secrets of body tempering, that intrigued him—it was the connection he felt with her.

Back at the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City, Sein had been a loner, with only Leena for companionship.

Sein glanced at the shattered beaker under Reina’s foot and commented, “It looks like I’ll need to pursue more spatial experiments soon. Although it’s typically explored by grand mages of Rank Three or higher, basic space manipulation shouldn’t be too complex.”

Thanks to recent breakthroughs with Leena in the interplanar passage, spatial mysteries no longer seemed as daunting as they once had.

In fact, space-folding was not overly complex knowledge.

Some gifted Rank One Spatial Mages could already apply this knowledge in combat.

Reina opened her mouth to respond to Sein’s statement, but he raised his hand to stop her.

He was the first person in nearly a century to interrupt her in such a manner.

The last person who had done so over a hundred years ago ended up severely beaten and bedridden for two years.

Reina had sat on him, breaking every bone in his body and nearly causing fatal internal injuries.

“I think you’d make an excellent black knight. Have you heard about them? I think living as a black knight might offer you a happier life than your current one,” Sein said casually, distracting Reina as he activated various magic instruments in the laboratory.

He knew that someone would deal with the broken beaker later.

Azelia, the fox maiden, stood silently at the doorway, observing the scene, while Yuri, wearing white gloves, readied herself to assist Sein with his experiments.

Guided by Sein, Reina approached the experimental table, now set vertically.

Sein had intended for her to lie on it, but he quickly remembered that the table was custom-made for his own use and might not withstand Reina’s immense weight.

“Black knights? My father used to tell me about them when he traveled the East Coast. He advised me to avoid any contact with those black knights, and after hearing his stories, I came to despise them too,” Reina replied, furrowing her brow slightly.

Reina was a sheltered daughter who had always heeded her parents’ advice and had never traveled alone.

Despite possessing power comparable to a Rank Three Sky Knight, she had never ventured beyond the Order of the Steel Fist’s territory.

Reina did not dislike traveling; rather, she struggled with low self-esteem and had a severely limited social circle.

This often kept her either deeply immersed in training or secluded at home, indulging in comfort eating.

Hearing her reply, Sein was suddenly reminded of Tourmaline, an equally reclusive female... dragon turtle.

While chatting with Reina, finished setting up the experimental table.

He positioned Reina with her back against the table and secured her limbs with multiple alloy handles to ensure she remained stationary and would not inadvertently disrupt the experiment.

Of course, Sein had sought Reina’s consent before proceeding.

A hesitant frown had settled on her round face, reflecting her doubts.

However, after receiving an earnest look from Sein, she nodded her approval.

Confident in Reina’s robust constitution, Sein was certain that even in the event of an experimental mishap, she would not suffer any significant harm.

The alloy cuffs were a safety measure Reina could easily break using just thirty percent of her strength if necessary.

“Well then, let’s begin. We’ll start with the basic endurance test against the pyro element,” Sein explained, gesturing for Yuri to commence the experiment.

Upon receiving the signal from Sein, she promptly pressed a button.

A pillar of green flames shot out from the device in Sein’s hand.

Meanwhile, he held a crystal ball in his other hand, ready to record observations.

“Don't worry, it won’t hurt at all,” Sein reassured as he approached with the fire-emitting device.

Reina trembled slightly, her round cheeks quivering as her palms involuntarily clenched into fists.